Duties of a Head Linesman

A commonly overlooked part of a football game is the team of officials who make it run smoothly. The only recognition they often receive comes in the form of criticism for a bad call. There are several different positions that officials occupy on the field, and each has its own set of responsibilities. One of these positions is head linesman.

  1. Pre-Snap Duties

    • The head linesman's primary responsibility is to watch the line of scrimmage for any pre-snap infractions, such as offside or encroachment. The head linesman keys on the closest set back on his side of the field.

    Post-Snap Duties

    • Once the ball is snapped, the head linesman moves to a point five yards beyond the line of scrimmage. He is responsible for watching the closest receiver until he clears seven yards. On a pass play, the head linesman then turns his attention to any delayed receivers and rules on any illegal action taken by defenders.

    Sideline Duties

    • The head linesman is responsible for ruling on any plays along his sideline. On sideline passes, he rules whether a catch was made in bounds and whether a runner made it out of bounds to stop the clock. His duties also include spotting the ball where the runner went out of bounds.

    Other Duties

    • A head linesman's duties also include keeping track of the number of downs and directing the chain crew on his sideline. The head linesman is also responsible for marking forward progress, calling pass interference if it occurs in his side zone and watching for illegal blocks.